A printing apparatus that makes it possible to prevent the operation of an application from being interrupted against the intention of a user during Wi-Fi direct connection, and thereby smoothly perform processing intended by the user. A printing apparatus equipped with a Wi-Fi direct function performs wireless connection to an external apparatus, by Wi-Fi direct connection. The printing apparatus determines based on information acquired from the external apparatus whether or not the user is operating a print application on the external apparatus, and if it is determined that the user is operating the print application on the external apparatus, the Wi-Fi direct connection between the printing apparatus and the external apparatus is extended.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A printing apparatus comprising: a wireless communicator configured to perform wireless connection with an external apparatus by direct wireless communication; and processing circuitry configured to: request information from the external apparatus that indicates whether or not a user is operating a print application on the external apparatus, the print application being an application that communicates with the printing apparatus; acquire the requested information from the external apparatus; determine, based on the information acquired from the external apparatus, whether or not the user is operating the print application on the external apparatus; and control the wireless communicator not to disconnect the wireless connection by direct wireless communication in a case where it is determined that the user is operating the print application on the external apparatus and to disconnect the wireless connection by direct wireless communication in a case where it is determined that the user is not operating the print application on the external apparatus.
2. The printing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to count a time period, and the information is acquired from the external apparatus when the counted time period has reached a predetermined time period.
3. A method of controlling a printing apparatus including a wireless communicator configured to perform wireless connection with an external apparatus by direct wireless communication, comprising: performing wireless connection to the external apparatus by direct wireless communication; requesting information from the external apparatus that indicates whether or not a user is operating a print application on the external apparatus, the print application being an application that communicates with the printing apparatus; acquiring the requested information from the external apparatus; determining, based on the information acquired from the external apparatus, whether or not the user is operating the print application on the external apparatus; and controlling the wireless communicator not to disconnect the wireless connection by direct wireless communication in a case where it is determined that the user is operating the print application on the external apparatus and to disconnect the wireless connection by direct wireless communication in a case where it is determined that the user is not operating the print application on the external apparatus.
4. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a computer-executable program for executing a method of controlling a printing apparatus including a wireless communicator configured to perform wireless connection with an external apparatus by direct wireless communication, wherein the method comprises: performing wireless connection to the external apparatus by direct wireless communication; requesting information from the external apparatus that indicates whether or not a user is operating a print application on the external apparatus, the print application being an application that communicates with the printing apparatus; acquiring the requested information from the external apparatus; determining, based on the information acquired from the external apparatus, whether or not the user is operating the print application on the external apparatus; and controlling the wireless communicator not to disconnect the wireless connection by direct wireless communication in a case where it is determined that the user is operating the print application on the external apparatus and to disconnect the wireless connection by direct wireless communication in a case where it is determined that the user is not operating the print application on the external apparatus.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
March 10, 2016
June 6, 2017
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